Submariner is faulted in death

SEATTLE » A Navy investigation has concluded that a sailor who died on the nuclear missile-carrying submarine USS Nebraska in Hawaii waters in September ignored posted warnings.

The Kitsap Sun reported that Michael A. Gentile died after being pinned by the ram that operates the submarine's rudder. At the time of Gentile's death, the Bangor, Wash.-based submarine was conducting routine operations off the coast of Hawaii.

The Navy released its findings Wednesday.

Submarine Group Trident spokesman Lt. Kyle Raines says the 21-year-old sailor was standing watch when the accident occurred. Gentile, originally from Maine, was flown to a nearby hospital after the accident but died on route.

Raines says none of the submarine's officers will lose their jobs, but were reprimanded through administrative action.

Resorts sued on tip distribution

A Boston law firm has filed federal class-action lawsuits in Honolulu against five Maui hotels for allegedly violating state law by not distributing tips to banquet food servers.

The lawsuits, filed within the last week, allege that the hotels kept preset service charges from banquet bills or used the revenue to pay managers or other nontipped employees who did not serve food and beverages.

The five hotels are the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel & Resort, the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua, the Wailea Marriott Resort and the Four Seasons Resort.

The head of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association said she had not reviewed the lawsuits, but was sure the hotels would be cleared of any wrongdoing.

Doctor suspected in billing probe

SALINAS, Calif. » A Hawaii psychiatrist is one of six doctors suspected of overbilling the state of California for medical and psychiatric services provided to inmates at Salinas Valley State Prison and who face charges of grand theft and presenting false claims.

At least five of the doctors pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

Authorities say five of the doctors submitted false invoices claiming they worked the whole day when they had only worked part of it.

The sixth doctor - 69-year-old Charles Lee of Salinas - is accused of signing time sheets he knew were fraudulent.

Authorities have identified the other doctors as 65-year-old David Hoban of Santa Cruz, 42-year-old Randy Sid of Pacific Grove, 48-year-old Mark Herbst of Honolulu, 60-year-old Wade Exum of Las Vegas and 43-year-old Pedro Eva of Soledad.

Pianist sentenced for sex assault

HILO » Big Island piano teacher Glenn Jacobson, 73, was sentenced to five years of probation this week for sexually assaulting a male student, the Hawaii County Prosecutor's Office said.

Jacobson was charged with three counts of third-degree sexual assault and was sentenced to five years' probation on each count with the sentences to be served concurrently.

In the sentencing Tuesday, Circuit Judge Elizabeth Strance turned down a prosecution request that Jacobson be banned from giving music classes to children. Instead, Strance ordered that any child receiving lessons must be under the supervision of an adult during the lessons.

Strance also ordered Jacobson to enter the Hawaii Sex Offender Treatment Program and pay for it himself.

Jacobson apologized to the boy, to the boy's family and to his own wife during the sentencing.

Texan to head Hilo med center

HILO » Howard Ainsley of Corpus Christi, Texas, has been named chief executive of the Hilo Medical Center and related facilities, the East Hawaii Regional Board of the Hawaii Health System Corp. announced.

Ainsley's most recent post was as a consultant to the Christus Spohn-Shoreline Hospital in Corpus Christi, a 557-bed facility with 1,600 staff and 800 physicians.

He has more than 20 years of hospital administration experience.

He will take oversight of the Hilo hospital, Hale Ho'ola Hamakua, Ka'u Hospital, the Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home and various outpatient clinics. The appointment becomes effective Dec. 15. Ainsley replaces Ron Schurra, who is retiring.